View Full Version : First M14 in 6.5 Creedmoor ready for the range.
Just finished up my first M14 in 6.5 Creedmoor.
Bula Defense Systems XM21 with 6.5 NM Barrel.
JAE gen III chassis with Atlas bipod and Accushot monopod.
Scope is a Hi Lux 6 - 30 56mm mounted with ARMS $22 30mm rings. Picked up a case of GMM 6.5 130 Berger to help set a baseline for accuracy. Looking forward to punching some paper.
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1606_zpsiulmtp9f.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_1606_zpsiulmtp9f.jpg.html)
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1607_zpsmicqx5zf.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_1607_zpsmicqx5zf.jpg.html)
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1608_zps2oglzoxn.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_1608_zps2oglzoxn.jpg.html)
Semper Fi
Art
Looks like a very nice rifle. Will look forward to reading the range reports. Sincerely. bruce.
Took her out for a function test. 100%. Rand 60 rnds of GMM without a problem.
Target shows first 4 rnds from the new rifle a the bottom of the paper at 6. This is exactly how it was moving the scope from one XM21 to another. Needed no windage correction at all. Walked the elevation up for the 6.5 Gmm an settled in for a 3rnd group in the center. 100 yds target.
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1610_zpsu9wgwhcp.jpg (http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1610_zpsu9wgwhcp.jpg)
Next target is an 18 rnd mag dump just to warm things up and check function. No problems at all.
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1612_zpsl2nnrdvw.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_1612_zpsl2nnrdvw.jpg.html)
Semper Fi
Art
Wow, very nice! Thanks for posting.
Major Tom
03-04-2018, 04:55
You definitely do awesome work!
The XM21 6.5 Creedmoor seems to be quite gentle on the brass. Just prepping what I shot yesterday and I am very pleased.
Rifle ejected nicely at 3 oclock .
Jeff did an excellent job on the chambers, headspace and feed areas of both barrels.
Loading up some 140 gr Berger hybrids over 38.5 gr of H4350 as a starting point. Looking for about 2500 fps.
While getting the Federal brass ready I noticed that about every 5th or 6th casing needed quite a bit of flash hole de-burring. Tumbling in the Thumler now.
Semper Fi
Art
Working on the second of the pair of XM21s in 6.5 today.
This one will be going in the beautiful Walnut stock I bought at Wades last of the kind sale when she is completed. Until then one of my shop birch animals will do.
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1620_zpsc3mj4l1g.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_1620_zpsc3mj4l1g.jpg.html)
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/IMG_1619_zpsdtcepzq6.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_1619_zpsdtcepzq6.jpg.html)
Semper Fi
Art
JohnMOhio
03-22-2018, 09:29
Nice indeed!
Nice indeed!
Thanks.
Semper Fi
Art
Looks like they are selling them now.
https://classic.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=14757219
Looks like they are selling them now.
https://classic.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=14757219
Those would be Springfield Inc and they are not my cup of tea. Since Bula Defense Systems started making forged receivers a few years ago, all my builds have been using them. Now Bula is making all the parts necessary for a build right in house in Cleveland.
Have you ever built a M1A starting with a Polytech? The receivers and op rods are forged--the bolt and rear sight are the only things that really need to be changed out. Many users state that the Poly barrels shoot more accurately than the Springfields even though they probably make the barrels for SA.
You can still buy a Poly for around $1000. I'm thinking the cost would be much cheaper than using the Bula parts.
Have you ever built a M1A starting with a Polytech? The receivers and op rods are forged--the bolt and rear sight are the only things that really need to be changed out. Many users state that the Poly barrels shoot more accurately than the Springfields even though they probably make the barrels for SA.
You can still buy a Poly for around $1000. I'm thinking the cost would be much cheaper than using the Bula parts.
Yep, used quite a few Polys and Norincos before LRB came out with their Hammmer Forged receivers in 2002. Used LRB for awhile and switched to Bula when they started up.
Rgr on the Chinese barrels, they are great. The only complaint I had, as a reloader, it takes quite a bit to resize the brass fired in USGI or Chinese barrels because they are 7.62 x 51.
Back in the day when the M14 ruled highpower, the convention was that 4064 was the slowest powder you should use. Is there anything special you did to the gas system to shoot 4350?
Back in the day when the M14 ruled highpower, the convention was that 4064 was the slowest powder you should use. Is there anything special you did to the gas system to shoot 4350?
Bula Defense Systems barrels are designed with a smaller gas port. Most of my recent loading has been using Varget. H4350 didn't present any problems that I could see.
Thanks,
I have friends that have dragged out their M14's for highpower and have been peripherally aware of what they'd done. I'd heard about adjustable gas ports, vented caps, relieved pistons, heavier op rod springs (mostly to shoot heavies like 185 Lapua's. Add to that adjustable triggers for the shooter...but I never dreamed of 4350 slow!
- - - Updated - - -
...btw, I am intrigued by the Bula story and went on their website to learn more. Not much there from a technical standpoint. Are their receivers hammer forged (like LRB), machined from forged barstock (like Smith Ent), or drop forged (USGI M14's)?
Press forged whatever that means. Not being a metal man, I can only go by what the boss tells me.
You work for Bula?
I can only guess that press forging is applying pressure to orient grain structure but perhaps without the violence of a drop forge or hammer forge.
You work for Bula?
I can only guess that press forging is applying pressure to orient grain structure but perhaps without the violence of a drop forge or hammer forge.
May be a safety factor involved too. I understand the grain structure is equivalent to hammer forging. Built on over 2 dozen of them so far and just love them. USGI barrels time perfectly. Sure is nice to have an outfit that cares about the end user.
I am interested, so I tapped google;
http://www.dropforging.net/drop-forging-vs-press-forging.html
I'm not a metallurgist or materials guy either, but I had a conversation with Boots Obermeyer on his observations of working with a Hammer Forged barrel. Once you get through the outer work hardened layer, you have softer more stress filled steel, that wasn't so stable...hence hammer forgings are contoured during the forging. I couldn't find it on the Bula site; does Bula do a rear or double lugged receiver?
They have done lugged receivers in the past. I do not use them myself as I install my accuracy rifles in JAE chassis. All the rest are in USGI non bedded stocks and work fine for my applications.
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